One Last Time
by THPL
Summary: Harry acted without thinking, as he often did when it came to Ginny. He walked up to her, unseen by anyone because of his Cloak. Glancing around to make sure nobody was looking in their direction, Harry slipped the cloak over Ginny's head. A time of despair for both Harry and Ginny brings them closer than ever;takes place during the Final Battle,as Harry prepares to face his deat


**A/N: This takes place right before Harry enters the forest to face old Voldy. This is my second fanfic, and just like the first one, im re-writing a part of the book I think should have gone differently :-)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. JK Rowling does. **

Harry walked, blind and deaf, towards the forest. Any human emotion he ever had in his life was lost to him; he was numb. His feet moved him towards the place his death would occur in just a few moments time, and all he had to consciously focus on was getting there without throwing up or running for help.

Harry stopped abruptly at the sight of Ginny.

She was kneeling on the ground beside an injured girl, who was whimpering on the ground. Ginny tried to calm the girl, whispering soothing words to her. Harry felt a wave of emotion wash over him, seizing him, rooting him to the spot. Realizing this could very well be the last time he would see her, an iron fist crushed down on his lungs, strangling him. He couldn't breathe. He could only stand there, watching in awe as Ginny fought her own emotions that must have been crushing her, the emotions that came with the death of a brother, and tried to help the girl, to comfort her.

He watched silently as a man walked over to where the girl was crying, muttered something of thanks to Ginny, and picked the girl up off the ground. Ginny stared after him as he swiftly carried the girl up to the castle.

Harry acted without thinking, as he often did when it came to Ginny. He walked up to her, unseen by anyone because of his Cloak. Glancing around to make sure nobody was looking in their direction, Harry slipped the cloak over Ginny's head.

She looked up at him, bewildered, as he knelt down next to her, the Cloak hiding them from the eyes of anyone in the grounds. She looked surprised for a few moments. But then her expression shifted. Her eyes now held that hard, blazing look she wore when they had first kissed, a thousand years ago, when things were they way they were supposed to be. Him and Ginny, together- it was _supposed_ to be like that. And now it never could.

They sat there in the grounds, simply looking at each other. Harry stared into her brown eyes. Then she spoke.

"Harry," her voice was very soft. "What are you-"

But Harry cut her off. He kissed her, once again acting without thinking. For one blissful moment, he forgot about where he was, the war surrounding them. However, then he _did_ remember, but instead of pulling away from Ginny, as perhaps he should have, he pressed himself closer to her. She responded, wrapping her arms around his neck, and Harry felt her tears, so rarely seen, on his face.

He only stopped kissing her when his lungs absolutely demanded oxygen. Even then, he didn't pull away, but leaned his forehead against hers, listening to her uneven breathing as it gradually slowed. He never wanted to move. He wanted nothing more then to stay with her forever, holding her close, feeling her hands twisted in his hair, her tears on his face. Wanting to comfort her the way she had comforted the little girl. So much pain. All caused by him.

He pulled away slightly to look at her face, to stare into her eyes. The pain was evident there, however much she tried to hide it from him. They sat there for an immeasurable moment, a tear escaping her eyes once. Only once.

Harry reached up, touching the spot where the tear lie, wiping it with the pad of his finger. At this gesture, her tears started to fall more fluidly, the pain in her eyes becoming more pronounced. Before Harry had a chance to hug her, to comfort her, she spoke.

"You're not going to meet him, right?" Her voice dripped with fear, and pain. And something more. Harry wanted so badly to tell her he wasn't, that he would stay here with her, but he had to be truthful. He had to do what would help everyone. She would understand.

"Ginny," he took his time saying her name, savoring the feeling of it on his lips. "It's the only way. I have to go."

"Why?" she whispered, barley audible, but necessary in case someone passed by where they sat and heard voices coming from nowhere. "Why? Please tell me."

Harry obliged. He told her, in whispers, the briefest truth he could conjure, the reason he had to die in the forest at Voldemort's hand. When he finished, he studied her face carefully for any sign that she would protest, to try to keep him from leaving her. But she didn't. Just as he had known she would, she understood. She sat there, silently crying, staring at him.

Then she leaned into him slowly, kissing him for what they both knew would be the last time. He focused on nothing but her, thinking of nothing but her. He put as much feeling as he could into this kiss, the last memory she would have of him.

After several long moments, they both pulled away, Ginny's tears evident on both their faces. She tried to smile, and gave him one last, soft kiss before closing her eyes and nodding once. It was time for him to go. He kissed her forehead, her eyes still closed, and stood slowly. His legs were weak. He restrained from sitting back down and holding her, never letting go. He lifted the Cloak up, over her head. She opened her eyes, and he knew she couldn't see him. She let a few more tears fall, and Harry could now feel tears, his own tears, on his face too, mingling with Ginny's.

Turning away from her was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. But he forced himself to do it, just thinking of all the people who had died because of him tonight, and how many more would if he didn't go and face Voldemort now.

Peeking over his shoulder one last time, he saw Ginny staring at the place he had just been, crying silently. He whispered "Love you, Ginny" just loud enough for her to hear. She looked at where his voice came from, a watery smile on her face. She whispered "I love you, too" and then closed her eyes, tears still falling down her face.

He tore his eyes away from the beautiful, heart-breaking sight of her, and regained his numb state. Once again feeling like a zombie, feeling nothing, he walked to the forest.

**Second fanfic done! What did ya think? Reviews make me happy :)**


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